Page 94 of This Changes Everything

I gathered all my willpower and untangled my legs, then slid them down his body until I was standing again. I felt Rory’s labored breathing against my collarbone, his head still locked in place on my shoulder. I closed my eyes and burrowed my face into his neck, then started quietly laughing. “I’m so afraid to look at everyone. Do you think they saw us?”

Rory’s solid body started to shake, matching my muffled laughter. “I hope not. I think I started humping you.”

I let out a loud laugh. He might have pulled out my boob as well, but I didn’t need to bring that to his attention. We kept our faces hidden in each other’s bodies as we continued to laugh and catch our breath.

“Okay, let’s look over at them at the same time,” Rory offered, and I nodded against his neck.

“Yeah. Let’s do it.”

“Ready? Go.” Rory lifted and turned his head, never taking his hands off my waist. He looked back at the dance floor we had moved away from.

I tilted my head to the side to look over his shoulder and opened my eyes. All five of our friends were staring at us, motionless, mouths gaping. Rory snorted, puffed his cheeks out, and dropped his head back down to hide.

I threw my hand over my eyes, unintentionally slapping my own face. “Don’t make me look at them again!” I cried out with laughter.

Rory lifted his head. His eyes softened, and he peeled my hand from my face as he laced our fingers together. After a moment of just looking at each other, he said, “Do you realize you called me baby?”

I pressed my lips together, feeling my entire body heat and flush. “I . . . It just slipped out,” I said quietly.

A warm smile spread across his face. “No, it didn’t. We do that now.”

Somehow, I knew he was thinking the exact same thing as me, at the exact same time. We’re doing this now.

“Come on,” he said softly, tipping his head over to our friends. “We’ve got to face them.”

“Zoë’s gonna say something outrageous. I know it.”

“I can’t wait to hear it.” He laughed.

I dropped my head, then said under my breath, “Fuck me.”

“I’m going to.” Rory smiled as he walked backward, tugging me back to the dance floor, toward our friends.

My head shot up as my thumping heart dropped. “Rory!” I pulled on his hand, stopping him dead on the dance floor. It felt like I was malfunctioning. He wrapped his free hand around me, slipping his fingers beneath my waistband with a dangerous smile. “Is this crazy? Are we being crazy?”

“What do you mean?” He lifted my hand and kissed my palm.

“What is this?”

Rory looked peaceful, like his entire being had quieted. He slowly shook his head. “I’m not falling for it, Cains. You know what this is.” He kissed my palm again, with his eyes locked on mine.

I could feel my brain start to fog, so I decided to stick to the immediate future. “Okay, but right now, in this exact moment, are we going to go dance with everyone and try not to be perverts?”

“No promises.” Rory smiled devilishly, repeating my words from the night before at Topgolf.

I slammed my hand into my forehead, and Rory just laughed as he brought me over to our friends.

When we got to everyone, Zoë looked at us, wide-eyed. “I’ll be masturbating to what you two just did for the rest of my life.”

“Zoë!” I threw my hand up to cover my eyes again, truly mortified.

Rory moved behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me in so my back was pressed against him. It was the first time he’d ever held me this way, but it was like we had been comfortably living in each other’s personal space for years.

“And your tits? Perfection. You’re giving Maddy a run for her money.” Zoë dipped her cocktail napkin into her drink and dabbed her chest.

“Oh . . . my god.” Rory’s head fell to my shoulder, this time with a shuddering laugh. “I’m sorry.”

“All good,” I said, trying not to laugh with him. “I think that was happening at the same time as the humping.” Rory pressed his face into my neck to try to stifle his laughter, but I could feel him shaking behind me.